Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday Mass Readings

Today’s readings are about a faithful, loving and compassionate God. The God we hear about in the first reading today is the God who bears us on eagle wings. This is the God who in the second reading proves his love for us that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This is the God whose heart in the Gospel reading is moved because he saw the people and they were like sheep without a shepherd. This God we are introduced to in the readings also forms a brotherhood and a sisterhood. In the first reading, God brings the people of Israel to Mt. Sinai and makes a Covenant with them. Rules of conduct are drawn. The rule that the people have to follow is simple. God says, “If you will hearken to my voice and keep my covenant…” (Ex 19:5a). That is all that is asked. The privilege of rule of conduct is “You shall be my possession…” (Ex 19:5b). In the gospel reading, Jesus calls the twelve disciples together and forms them into a brotherhood. They are to a brotherhood people who filled with the power he gives, become the biblical time jedi masters. They are to be selfless, they are to fight evil, they are to be on the side of light and they are to remain fiercely faithful to their Master (Mt 10:7-8).

As we live our brotherhood and sisterhood what is it that binds us together? What binds us together is the very body and blood of Christ. He left himself as food for us. It is his blood that runs through each of our veins. His body and blood binds us to God and to each other. The bond, the Covenant, our baptism, our brotherhood and our sisterhood is celebrated at every Eucharist.

Let our participation at the Eucharist today lead us to the God who loves us, calls us and sends us forth. We bind ourselves to Christ, we bind ourselves to each other, and together we become disciples of Christ in the world. Without cost we have received, without cost we are to give (Mt 10:8).

Fr. Satish Joseph